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In the Family

Beginning with her story of testing positive for the familial breast cancer mutation (BRCA), filmmaker Joanna Rudnick chronicles the lives of several women currently undergoing the process of genetic testing, through the testing process, and in the aftermath when they are coming to terms with the information they receive.

In the Family is a documentary film about predicting breast and ovarian cancer, the consequences of knowing, and the women who live with the risk. Beginning with her story of testing positive for the familial breast cancer mutation (BRCA), Filmmaker Joanna Rudnick chronicles the lives of several women currently undergoing the process of genetic testing — following them from their decision to seek testing, through the testing process, and in the aftermath when they are coming to terms with the information they receive. These stories of the first generation of women to live with the knowledge that they are predisposed to a life-threatening disease will teach us what it means to survive a diagnosis of high risk without being consumed or defined by it. They will help us to understand the psychological, legal, ethical, cultural and social complexities of genetic testing for a mutation, which affects the entire family, for which there is no cure, and wherein the only treatments currently available involve enormous quality-of-life sacrifices.

Filmmakers

Executive Producer for ITVS

Sally Jo Fifer

Editor

Leslie Simmer

Original Music

Erin O’Hara

Original Animation

Samantha Olschan

Samantha OlschanOpening Titles

Dizzy Giant
Dan Sharkey
Matt Sharkey

cinematographys

Dana Kupper
Gordon Quinn
Ines Sommer
Cynthia Wade

Additional Camera

Neil Barrett
Beth Iams
Joanna Rudnick

Sound

Zak Piper

Additional Sound

Additional Sound
Judy Karp
Paul Rusnak
Mary Wong

Media

Awards and Distinctions

Breast Fest Film Festival

Official Selection

2009

Council on Foundations Film & Video Festival

Official Selection

2009

Emmy Awards

Nominee

Outstanding Informational Long Form Programming

2009

Chesapeake Bay Film Festival

Official Selection

2008

Midwest Independent Film Festival

Winner

Best Editing

2008

Milan Interntional Film Festival

Official Selection

2008

Reeltime Independent Film & Video Forum

Official Selection

2008

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

Official Selection

2008

SILVERDOCS Documentary Film Festival

Nominee

WGA West Best Documentary Screenplay

2008